Mail box alarm



May30, F. A. HOLMGREN I MAIL BOX ALARM Filed June 13, 1930 Patented Why 30, 1933 UNITED STATES FRANK A. HOLMGREN, OF MINNEAPOLIS, MINNESOTA MAIL BOX ALARM Application filed June 13,

This invention relates to a signal device, and particularly to a signal device operated when mail is placed in a mail box. Mail boxes are now commonly used in residences, oflices and other places, for a deposit of mail, and these boxes usually include a flap which is raised to place the mail in the box. This flap is sometimes in the form of a lid, and sometimes merely in the form of a hinged flap at the front or side of the box.

It is desirable to have some signal to inform the occupant of the residence or other place, that mail has been deposited in the box. It is also desirable to have such a signal of some definite kind so that it will not be confused with other signals.

' It is an object of this invention, therefore, to provide a simple and eflicient device which will give a definite signal when the flap on the mail box is operated.

It is a further object of the invention to provide a simple and efficient mail box signal comprising a container preferably in the form of a tube mounted for oscillation and having means operated by oscillation thereof for sounding a signal.

It is a further object of the invention to provide a simple and efficient mail box signal comprising an oscillating container, a memher movable freely therein, means over which said member moves and which is operated by said member to engage a contact and close the circuit to sound the signal, said container bein carried on a member which is oscillate by connection with the mail box flap.

It is still another object of the invention to provide a simple and eflicient mail box signal which can be readily attached to an ordinary mail box or which can be arranged to be connected to the mail box when originally installed, and which is easily connectible to the ordinary door bell circuit.

These and other objects and advantages of the invention will be fully set forth in the following description made in connection with the accompanying drawing, in which like reference characters refer to similar parts throughout the several views, and in which:-

Fig. 1 is a partial vertical section taken 1930. Serial No. 460,883.

on line 11 of Fig. 2, as indicated by the arrows; a 2 a vertical section taken on line Q-2 of Fig. 1, indicated by the arrows;

3 is a vertical section taken on line 33 of Fig. 2 as indicated by the arrows, showing the parts in a different position;

Fig. 4 is a section on line 4-4 of Fig. l, as indicated by the arrows;

ig. 5 is a view similar to Fig. 4, showing the parts in a different position; and

Fig. 6 is a perspective view showing a modification.

Referring to the drawing, a mail box indicated generally as 10 is shown, the same having a rear wall 10a, a bottom 10b and a front wall 100. The front wall includes a swinging door 10d which is hinged on a pintle 11 extending transversely at the top of the box and secured to knuckles formed in the sides thereof. The box also has a pintle 12 adjacent the top of the rear wall 10a which is formed in an inner plate 13 secured to rear wall 10a and forming the rear wall of the casing, the front wall 13a of which is bent upwardly and forward in curved form. A top wall 106 is provided for box 10, hinged to pint-1e 12, which top portion has a depending flap 10f extending at an angle thereto and adapted to fit down in front of the hinged portion 10d. Portion 10d has riveted thereto a bail or keeper 14 and flap 10f has a slot passing over keeper 14. A padlock 15 can be placed through keeper 14, thus locking the hinged front or portion 10d in position. The box is also provided with an upwardly movable or oscillating flap or cover 16 also hinged about pintle 12. The top 106 has an opening 10g therethrough extending thereacross through which opening the mail will be passed. The front wall 100 is shown as formed with a head at its top turned around and embracing a wire 17, and the lower edge of member 10d is shown as of extra thickness, with an inclined surface engaging the top of said bead. The rear wall 10a extends above the top 106 and flap 16 and is reversely bent to be of double thickness, the same having a pair of holes 10h therethrough,

by means of which the box can be attached to a suitable support.

A post 18 is secured to the plate 13 and a plate 19 disposed in a vertical plane is pivoted to post 18 by a screw 20 passing therethrough and threaded into said post. Plate 19 has a slot 19a opening in one end thereof, through which projects a small r ed 21 which is secured to the flap 16. A tube 22 is secured to plate 19, said tube havingclosed ends. The tube 22 has a portion cut away at its front and lower side to form a segmental opening 22a therein. A plate 23 secured to the top of said tube, projecting at the front thereof, and has depending lugs 23ain which are pivoted the ends of a small red 24-. A lever 25 is sccured to rod 21, said lever being formed of a narrow strip of material and having a weight 25a at its outer end. Said lever swings freely on rod 2%, and the lower end thereof is disposed in the opening 22a. The position of the lever is determined by its rear end engaging tube 22 at the rear side of opening 22a. A contact member 26 is disposed at the lower side of the tube 22 and secured thereto at one end, insulating material 2660 being disposed between said contact member and tube. A pair of balls 27 are disposed in tube 22 and move or roll freely therein. A pin 27a projects forwardly from adjacent the bottom of plate 13 and one end of a tensile spring 28 is secured to said pin, the other end of said spring being secured to a pin 29 projecting rearwardly from and secured to a pin 29 projecting rear-wardly from and secured to plate 19. A binding post 30 is secured to plate 13, which will preferably be accessible from the rear of the mail box, and said binding post is insulated from plate 13 and the metal of the mail box. A conductor 31 connects post 30 to the contact member 26. Another binding post 32 is provided, which is in electrical contact with the plate 13 and the metallic parts of the box.

The device is adapted to operate and be attached to a signal, and it may be attached to the usual and ordinary door-bell circuit which is usually provided for residences. Such a circuit is shown in Fig. 3, including the bell 33 and a battery 34. A conductor 35 connects one terminal of the bell 33 to one side of battery 3%, and a conductor 36 connects the other side of the battery to one contact of the doorbell 37, the other contact 37a of the door-bell being connected by a conductor 38 to the other contact of the bell 33. In installin the mail box alarm, a conductor 39 can be connected to conductor 38 and to contact 32, while another conductor -10 can be connected to conductor 36 and the binding post 30.

In operation, the parts will normally occupy the position shown in Figs. 1 and 2. Spring 28 acting on plate 19 holds the same and tube 22 in the position shown in Fig. 1,

so that the balls 27 are at one end thereof. Weight 25a holds the lever 25 in position with its lower end in the tube The flap 16 of the mail box is, of course, normally in the position shown in Fig. 2. lVhen the mail man deposits mail in the box 10, he will raise the flap 16 to insert the mail in the opening 10g. Raising the flap 16 swings rod 21, and this acting on plate 19 swings said plate about its pivot 20. This tilts said plate and tube 22 to the position shown in Fig. 3. hen this occurs, the balls 27 roll to the other end of the tube and in so doing they pass over the lower end of lever 25, causing the same to swing to the position shown in Fig. 5. \Vhen the lever is thus swung outwardly by the balls, it engages the upturned end of the contact member 26. This it will be seen closes an electrical circuit through the signal The plate 19, tube 22, post 18 and other parts are all connected to a binding post which is in turn connected through conductors 39 and 38 to one terminal of the bell 33. The other binding post 30 which is connected to contact member 26 by conductor 31, is in turn connected by conductors 40 and 36 to the other side of the battery 34. As the balls roll over lever 25, it is pushed out to have a momentary engagement with contact member 26, and as soon as the balls roll therefrom, it swings inward again by reason of the weight 25a. The circuit is thus closed only momentarily, and a short ring or tingle given to the signal or hell 33. This short ring will also be given by the other ball 27 as it moves over lever 25. lVhcn the mail man has deposited the mail. he allows the flap 16 to move to the position shown in Fig. 2 and this, together with the action of spring 28, again swings plate 19 and tube 22 so that it returns to the position shown in Fig. 1. \Vhen this occurs, the balls 27 again roll over lever 25 and said lever again engages contact member 26, giving two more short rings 011 the bell. It will thus be seen that each time the flap 16 is lifted, a definite number of short signals will be given. In the apparatus illustrated, two short signals will be given, and a moment later two more short signals will be given. This will make a signal which is clearly recognizable as a mail signal.

In the modification shown in Fig. 6, the mail box is shown as t0, the same having a flap 41 hinged on a pintlc 12, which flap will be lifted when mail is deposited in the box. A casing 43 is mounted 011 the side of the box and this will contain the mechanism described as in the casing comprising plates 13 and 13a. A crank is provided in casing 13, having an arm 4st with a slot Ala therein into which projects a rod or pin 15 secured to the flap 4:1. Crank 4.1 has another arm identical with the rod 21 and which will pass through the slot 19a in the plate 19 which will be pivoted to the rear side of the casin 43. The connections to the bell will be ma e in the manner already described, and thus, when flap 41 is lifted, the two pairs of signals will be given as already described.

From the above description it is seen that applicant has provided a very simple and efficient mail box signal. The parts are comparatively few and simple in construction. The device can be readily attached to mail boxes already in use, or installed with a new mail box. The device has been amply demonstrated in actual practice, and found to be very successful and eflicient.

It will, of course, be understood that various changes may be made in the form, details, arrangement and proportions of the parts, without departing from the scope of applicants invention, which, generally stated, consists in a device capable of carrying out the objects above set forth, such as shown and described and defined in the appended claims.

What is claimed is:

1. A device of the character described comprising a casing, a supporting member in said casing carrying an elongated container, a member freely movable in said container, a lever fulcrumed on the outer surface of said container having one end extending into said container and movable by the Weight of said first mentioned member, a supporting plate for said container pivoted for swinging movement, said plate having an opening therein, a rod extending through said opening, means for oscillating said rod, and electrical contacts engaged by said lever for sounding a signal.

2. A device of the character described comprising an oscillating container, a lever fulcrumed on the outer surface thereof and weighted to swing with one end disposed in said container, a member freely movable in said container adapted to pass over and oscillate said lever, a contact member engagable by said lever when oscillated, and means for oscillating said container.

3. A device of the character described comprising a plate mounted for oscillation about a transverse axis, a tube carried by said plate, a ball freely movable lengthwise of said tube, a. lever fulcrumed on said tube and having one end projecting thereinto, in position to be passed over by said ball, a contact member engaged by said lever when the ball passes over the latter, said plate having a slot therein, a rod passing through said slot, said rod being adapted to be oscillated to oscillate said plate and tube and cause said ball to pass over said lever.

4. A device of the character described,

comprising a casing, a supporting member in said casing carrying an elongated container, a member freely movable in said contalner, and a lever fulcrumed on the outer surface of said container having one end portion lying in a slot in said container and movable by the weight of said member movable in said container.

5. A device of the character described, comprising an oscillatable container, a lever fulcrumed on the outer surface of said container and weighted to swing with one end disposed in a slot in said container, a member freely movable in said container adapted to pass over and oscillate said lever, and a contact member engageable by said lever when oscillated.

6. A device of the character described, comprising a tube mounted for oscillation and having a slot in a side wall thereof, a ball freely movable lengthwise of said tube, a lever fulcrumed without said tube and having an end portion arranged in said slot in position to be engaged and actuated by said ball, and a contact member engaged by said lever when actuated by said ball.

7. A device of the character described, comprising a tube mounted for oscillation and having a slot in the bottom portion of the wall thereof, a ball freely movable lengthwise of said tube, a lever fulcrumed upon the outer surface of said tube and having an end portion arranged in said slot in position to be engaged and actuated by said ball, said lever having an opposite, weighted end portion, and a contact member mounted upon the outer surface of said tube and engaged by said lever only when actuated by said ball.

FRANK A. HOLMGREN. 

